Ushuaia Bay is the wide sweeping harbor of the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia. The bay has a scenic setting, with the forested slopes of the snowcapped Andes to the north and the icy waters of the Beagle Channel to the south. See the monuments and shipwrecks of Ushuaia Bay and use it as the starting point for cruises and kayak excursions. The bay and city take their name from a Yámana word that means a bay pointing to the west.
Enjoy uninterrupted views of Andean peaks while strolling along the Costanera de Ushuaia esplanade. Take a photo next to the Fin del Mundo (End of the World) sign. Nearby is the grounded St. Christopher Shipwreck (also known as HMS Justice W140), a former Royal Navy ship that beached in 1957. Visit Plaza Islas Malvinas and its memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Malvinas War with Great Britain, a 10-week conflict, also called the Falklands War.
Go to the marina and sign up for a boat cruise or guided kayak tour with one of several tour operators. Traverse the placid glacial waters of the Beagle Channel. Sail around Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and hear stories about the sunken SS Monte Cervantes. Visit Estancia Harberton, a farmstead established in 1886 by a British missionary, and the primitive huts of a Yámana settlement on Karelo Island.
Come face-to-face with colonies of penguins and sea lions. Albatross, ducks, skuas and seagulls live on Bird Island. Imperial and Magellanic cormorants inhabit the rocks around the lighthouse.
Intrepid travelers might want to board a multiday cruise bound for the wilderness of Antarctica. Tours depart between mid November and mid March and last from 10 to 20 days. As you navigate the mighty Drake Passage, marvel at large chunks of ice falling from soaring icebergs. Advanced bookings are advised as the passenger ferries have limited spaces.
The waterfront of Ushuaia Bay is just a short walk from the steep streets of Ushuaia’s city center. Use the large car park close to the boat pier. Other major city attractions nearby include the Government House and the Fin del Mundo Museum.
